Finding Hope
by madamxcrystalxrose
Summary: Once upon a time, Orochimaru had cared about his teammates. He did, really! But then things happened and he left Konoha...with a test tube baby. Tsunade and Dan's test tube baby to be exact. Join Orochimaru as he goes through unplanned parenthood with a sweet, blonde-haired baby who makes him sigh, worry, laugh, and wear a smug grin.
1. 0-Once Upon A Time

Tsunade couldn't believe it. He was gone. Dead. Deceased. Whatever you wanted to call it, he wasn't there anymore.

She looked at her bloody hands that trembled with shock. She couldn't save him. She let him die.

Her brown eyes traveled down to where he laid. Blood was everywhere and his last plea, last wish haunted her thoughts. He didn't want to die but he still did.

Her vision suddenly blurred and she realized that she was crying and that dull pain in her chest was suddenly sharp, overwhelmed with grief.

"Dan!" His name rang out in the drenched forest and she crumpled over his body, trying to take in the last memories of her lover. His body heat was fading and against her cheek, she felt her grandfather's cursed necklace.

Her bloody fingers curled in despair and self-loathing. She was the one who had given him and Nawaki this. She had cursed them to die by giving them this. Her fingers grasped the accessory and took it off, deciding to keep the necklace and maybe someday, the curse would even work on her. She didn't care though, she deserved it.

"Tsunade-san," a jonin whispered cautiously, "We must hurry back to the camp."

The jonin wore a grim expression as he watched one of Konoha's strongest shinobi crumple and shatter as war tore her lover away. He looked up at the crying sky and wondered how long this war would last and how many more lives would be taken.

He knew that they fought for Konohagakure, the village he grew up in and had a family in. He even had a little baby boy who was showing great promise and it made the grief over his wife's death lessen.

When the granddaughter of the Shodaime Hoakge looked back, he felt his gaze soften at the immense grief in them. They reminded him of his own gaze in the mirror. "We won't have much time to give him a proper burial, but we can still seal his body for later."

She didn't respond, something that worried him. He had always known her to have a quick comeback ready whenever Jiraiya said something. However, he waited as he watched a comrade cry over the loss of a loved one. When he could no longer wait and his instincts told him to get going, he finally spoke out.

"Tsunade-san," he called out, "We must hurry or we will also lose our lives."

She didn't reply and he moved into action. His sensitive nose was picking out three unfamiliar scents and they definitely weren't a good sign. He nodded to a fellow jonin who whipped out a sealing scroll and pulled Tsunade away from her silver-haired lover, Kato Dan.

She barely responded to him and stared blankly, numb with pain as she watched Dan disappear in a cloud of smoke. The blonde-haired woman didn't even notice when she was lifted up and sped through the branches.

It was when she was placed in front of a campfire and slapped across the cheek she finally regained her senses. Her wide eyes stared up and were met with the even stare of Hatake Sakumo.

The pale-haired man sighed and sat down next to her, staring intently at the flames. "Sorry about that Tsunade-san, but I saw no other way to wake you up."

She nodded absentmindedly. "...It's alright."

Sakumo look back at his old Academy classmate with worry. Did she, the kunoichi known as the woman with the shortest temper really say it was alright that he just slapped her?! The man stared at Tsunade, her eyes were narrowed in deep thought and he could feel her mind working but on what, he wasn't sure.

He quickly wondered where his old friend Jiraiya was, he knew her better than he did. "Tsunade-san," he started slowly, "I get the feeling that you're thinking about doing something drastic."

Her brown eyes looked at his slate-gray eyes and he saw that her grief and despair had been replaced with anger. "Tell me Sakumo, why do you fight? Why fight when you're only going to die?!"

Oh dear, Sakumo wasn't sure if he was ready to engage in a possible argument with Tsunade. Her hot-headedness was well-known along with her great strength. His eyes looked back at the fire and he briefly admired the crackling embers and the heat emitting from it. It reminded him of the Will of Fire, something Hokage-sama had repeated many times and it honestly did inspire some courage from him.

He looked back to meet her furious eyes. "I fight for Konoha, Tsunade-san. I fight for the place where I was born and raised. I got married there and I have a little son. I fight in this war so that he won't have to. As for your second question," he chuckled but there was no amusement or happiness in his eyes, "It's a known fact that we all die someday, Tsunade-san. I do not mind fighting and dying as long as I have no regrets and that I've done something for those I protect and care about."

A silence was his reply and he wondered if he should continue talking. "You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened, Tsunade-san." He took a deep breath and thought about how life was unfair. She really didn't deserve so many tragedies, but that was the life of a shinobi. Fair never was part of the package.

She didn't reply and he was about continue but stopped when he saw the approaching figures of Jiraiya and Orochimaru. He patted her shoulder and nodded to the two men before leaving the three alone.

When he had heard the news about Dan's death, he swore loudly and anxiously hurried to his teammate's side. His white hair was dirty with sweat, blood and dirt. In all honesty, he felt like he had just been beaten by said teammate at least a thousand times.

Jiraiya nodded at Sakumo, a good friend from the Academy and throughout his ninja career.

When his eyes caught the sight of an exhausted blonde who gave off an air of defeat and anger at the same time, he almost tripped over in shock. It was even worse than when Nawaki had died, and _that_ was bad. He shared a look with Orochimaru and both knew that it was best if he was giving her physical support and the ebony-haired man gave supportive comments every now and then. His best friend was great at fighting, but his people skills were definitely lacking.

"Tsunade-hime?" he called out. She looked up and he gulped when he saw the raw emotions behind her eyes. There was anger, grief, sorrow, fear, disgust, relief and a myriad of other emotions he couldn't identify before they disappeared.

He and Orochimaru sat down next to her and a silence fell as he tried to organize his thoughts. Surprisingly, it was Orochimaru who had decided to speak. "I do not think it wise to hold in your emotions when around people you can trust, Tsunade." He looked over and met her eyes steadily. "If you want to cry, no one will hold it against you. You have lost someone dear to you; it is the least you deserve."

They weren't prepared when tears started falling from their strong teammate's eyes. She held her head low and cradled herself as she sobbed softly. The men shared another look and Jiraiya nodded, it was his part now. His best friend never had been a touchy-feely person.

His arm wrapped around her and she leaned on him for support. It broke his heart to see her shattered and the Toad Sannin knew that it was best to just stay by her side.

To many who knew of his perverted nature, they would've thought he would take advantage of her vulnerability, but he wasn't that kind of a guy. Sure he appreciated the beauty of women, but he would always put his friends first.

Hours must've passed before any of them spoke again. Tsunade was no longer leaning on Jiraiya and instead, she stared at the fire, watching as the flames waved back and forth at the wind's beckon. Her eyes were set with stubborn determination and her teammates watched her wearily.

"I'm leaving."

It was a brief and straight to the point statement, but those words caused her teammates to straighten up in shock. She held her hand up, stopping any protesting and shook her head. "I've had enough of watching those I care about die and I know Konoha will do absolutely nothing. Once this war's done, I'm gone. I'm not going to return to that hellhole for the rest of my life."

Jiraiya immediately spoke out once she was done. "Leaving?! Konoha's our home, Tsunade-hime and there's always a ceremony to honor those who've fallen!"

She turned her narrowed eyes to him and replied, "I could care less about it. It's where I was born, but it's not where I'm going to live in any longer. Lives could've been saved if there were more medic-nin in our ranks!"

"Then what about Sarutobi-sensei?" Orochimaru inquired. "He won't be pleased about this, Tsunade. You could be labeled a deserter and if you are, you'll be running from hunter-nin all your life."

She snorted and crossed her arms. "I doubt that'd happen. I'm the Shodai's granddaughter, the last link to him in fact!" Both noticed how she had left out their sensei and focused in the second part instead but chose not to mention it.

"Where are ya gonna go then? I don't think you'll be graciously received by any other country but Kiri and the smaller ones." Jiraiya sighed and looked up at the dark sky, noting that the stars were hidden partially by clouds.

The Slug Sannin shrugged, showing indifference and an uncaring attitude, ringing alarm bells in both of her teammates' head. "There's some houses my grandfather has that I can stay in."

"You will be hiding for the rest of your life then?" Orochimaru asked, really not liking what his teammate had decided to do with her life.

She scoffed and shook her head. "As if! I'll be using skills my grandfather taught me!"

"And that is?" Jiraiya asked with a raised eyebrow.

The large bosomed woman smirked. "I heard there's a new casino in Tea Country."

"Tsunade!" both men exclaimed in shock and horror.

"What are you thinking?!" the white haired man cried out. "You would lose everything you've got!"

The Snake Sannin massaged the bridge of his nose. Why was this happening to him? "Tsunade, you're the last Senju, I don't think you'll be free to do whatever you want, especially this."

"We'll see about that Orochimaru!" The blonde retorted.

They shook their heads and looked away. They could come up with better arguments but they had a strong suspicion this was how she was trying to cope with everything. Would it be worse to let her go and cope with what has happened, or would they restrict her and let her live in grief as a ninja?

Was there even a better choice? A lesser evil?

Orochimaru didn't know what to do anymore. He had lost his parents and many allies due to war. _Was this going to be it? The end of the Sannin?_

He was a prodigy, a person who was destined to be great and well-known. The pale man knew that Jiraiya had been establishing spies and that he would no longer be in the village as much. With Tsunade going out to gamble and drink, he would be the sole Sannin in Konoha.

He still had Sarutobi-sensei, but it wasn't the same with his teammates. His research was the only reason why he would be there anyway. Of course there was also his desire to become Hokage, but it was a powerful seat, who wouldn't want it?

For two and a half decades, he had spent every second with those three. Was it selfish of him to want to stay with them for more years?

His mind thought of Dan and Tsunade. He really didn't care much about their love life, but he knew that they were happy, almost as much as his parents were when they were still alive.

Tired and weary eyes looked up at the night sky. Why was war always tearing lives apart? Why couldn't people be immortal? If they were, no one would grieve or break down like Tsunade. If people were immortal, they could live and watch their children grow. They wouldn't be orphans like Jiraiya or like him, to know their embrace and love only to have it taken away.

As he thought of his parents, he wondered how his and his teammates' life would be like if they weren't ninja.

He mentally snorted as he thought of Jiraiya. He doubted much would change. His best friend would still be a pervert who joked and peeked in bath houses. He'd probably write books or something, his friend was definitely creative.

He didn't think much would change about him either. If he wasn't a ninja, he probably would've become a researcher, maybe even a father if he found the perfect woman for him.

Tsunade, however, would have an entirely different life. She would be a doctor obviously, but she'd also be married to Dan and maybe she'd even have mini versions of herself or Dan running around, calling him and Jiraiya 'uncle' and 'perverted uncle' respectively.

He shook his head. Such thoughts were worthless and nothing more than a daydream he thought of plenty times. He'd even given the kids names much to his consternation!

The dark-haired man knew that it was impossible to create mini Tsunades and Dans, the man was dead and Orochimaru didn't think he could get sperm from Dan or Tsunade's eggs without being called an insane maniac (which he wasn't, he was just a guy who liked to answer his questions himself damnit!).

_What about plain DNA then?_ a treacherous voice whispered. _You could just use their DNA, you're smart, you can figure it out. _

Damn, he didn't like that voice. He also really didn't like the fact that he was considering that thought too.

_Why not? Don't you think Tsunade would be thrilled to have a child of her own? Especially since it would be hers and Dan's? She'd come back to Konoha and settle there and Jiraiya would definitely show up to visit the kid wouldn't he? The Sannin would be together! Even more, Sarutobi-sensei would be proud of you! There's no way he wouldn't choose you as Hokage if you do this!_

Orochimaru sighed. That really did sound good but there was the problem that he would be using the body of a Konoha ninja. Foreign ninja and criminals were fine, but he didn't think operating on an ally, heck his _teammate's_ dead lover would be well received.

_Eh, we'll cross that bridge when we get there, _a voice sounding suspiciously similar to Jiraiya commented.

Another sigh left his lips and he shook his head.

"You alright there, Orochimaru?" Jiraiya asked, "You've been sighing the whole time."

Orochimaru blinked in surprise. He had forgotten about his friends?

Tsunade raised a blonde eyebrow, "Need to get something off your chest?"

He shook his head. "I am fine. I was merely thinking about the future."

Jiraiya grinned. "Well feel free to tell us! This might as well be team bonding time!"

Orochimaru shook his head, yet there was a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. _Yes_, he decided, _I'll give it a try. I really do treasure these two teammates of mine. _"I was just wondering when Tsunade would notice that you've been trying to peek at her in the bath."

Jiraiya gulped when he felt the fury of his blonde teammate. He waved his hands, trying to placate her, only it looked as though he were trying to grope her breasts.

A tick formed on her forehead. "How dare you, Jiraiya!"

Orochimaru smiled at his teammates. Yes, he would see to it that the three of them stayed together.

xXx

Yes, I know that Orochimaru is a baddie through and through, but I thought, hey, why not?

I like reading light-hearted things and so this will be a light-hearted, humorous, and completely AU. Seriously. Don't read this if you don't want to see an OOC Orochimaru taking care of an OC baby. Crazy, I know, but meh, I got inspired and he seemed like the guy who fit the role the most.

The chapters for this will be a lot shorter than what I usually write do to the fact that this comes last priority wise. My sister's already giving me death glares for not updating my first story… I don't know, I guess if I get lots of good responses, I'll update quicker. So, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it.

Well, thanks for reading and I hope you'll accompany me on my journey exploring Orochimaru's background! See ya!


	2. 1-Welcome to the World

_Well damn, that didn't work out very well_, Orochimaru bitterly thought. He looked behind him and rolled his eyes at the ANBU trying to pursuit him. Did they really think they could catch _him_?

He mentally sighed and made a clone, it would be his distraction while he got to his lab. The dark-haired Sannin mentally swore in bitterness, he was already done with making the mini Tsunades and Dans! There were a total of four minis and they were about to be born any day now!

His mind raced as he thought about what he was going to do.

Unfortunately, he wasn't chosen as the Yondaime. That fell to Jiraiya's prodigy student, Namikaze Minato. He didn't feel that sour about though. Really! He didn't mind it at all. It wasn't like he had been working for that position for longer than the blond's been alive!

Okay, so maybe he was a bit sour about it, but he had another priority, the minis.

The four had been carefully cultivated in test tubes for about nine months now. It had taken him two decades to figure it out and it was somewhat late now.

He cursed himself for his arrogance. He didn't think anybody would find out that he had gotten a _tad _bit out of line. He just needed to know if environment and how people were raised affected results in certain tests! He was even courteous enough to use people who were better off as test subjects!

Okay so maybe the fifty or so babies weren't the smartest idea but they were the children of prostitutes! Their futures would forever be tainted due to the fact that their mothers were women who sold their bodies for money! And yeah, so maybe they all kinda-sorta...died, but it was for a good cause! He just needed to know if it was possible to have people use Wood Release!

The tapping of footsteps far off in the distance alerted him that he didn't have much time. He arrived in his main laboratory and grabbed all the scrolls he could, sealing them away within seconds (he mentally thanked Jiraiya for teaching him some sealing techniques). When he approached the four minis, he couldn't help but smile with sourness at his failure and success.

Tsunade was long gone and Jiraiya only showed up to visit his student. Sarutobi-sensei had only talked to him every now and then; otherwise, everyone else seemed to ignore him.

He was still human, he had a heart that beat and sanguine blood that flowed through his veins. Orochimaru wasn't much of a talker, but that didn't mean he hated people. He was a prodigy and he had figured out at an early age how important it was to keep your friends with you.

When he sensed the tell-tale sign of his sensei's chakra, he sighed in despair at the upcoming confrontation. Fighting with those four minis wasn't going to be an easy job, especially when you're fighting the God of Shinobi...

He needed a plan to get out of here with those four safely. It was then that he dearly wished he had some of Jiraiya's skill with improvising on the spot and his creativity. How was he going to get out of here alive?

His mind raced and he thought of Manda, the Snake Boss, before furiously shaking his head and berating himself. Manda would want some hundred or so sacrifices, something he didn't have.

The Sannin looked at his lab once more and took in every detail. He had been multi-tasking, destroying any kind of information about him and secrets he'd rather others didn't know. His gaze fell unto a shelf full of information he had been gathering for Konoha.

It would be too fishy if he left them all there, but he still wanted to see his fruits of effort develop. He compromised and took some while leaving others. He'd leave the ones he took with him around the place and in different locations.

When he came back to the four, he shifted his weight, thinking what he could possibly do with four twenty-two pound babies.

He couldn't carry them all but he didn't want to leave any behind either! He was pretty much their uncle and godfather! It also wouldn't be fair if he picked favorites either since he liked them all on an equal level!

He damned his current situation.

"Orochimaru," a stern and disheartened voice called out.

The man stiffened and quickly tried to cover what he had been intensely concentrated on. It was a good thing that the test tubes were short and that the unborn babies were somewhat small. "Sensei," he responded back, hoping that his anxiety and nervousness didn't show in his voice.

The Sandaime was in his traditional ninja attire and he held a bo staff pointed at Orochimaru. His old eyes were grim and showed disappointment, something the black-haired man tried to ignore. "It has gone on long enough, Orochimaru. You've done terrible things and have created more harm than good."

_Lies,_ he thought furiously. He had done plenty of good things! Honestly, it was as though they had completely forgotten that he had discovered a new kekkei genkai in a Kiri criminal or that he had helped to create new and improved ANBU masks! _Half of those mask-wearing buffoons would be dead to the poisonous chemicals I had in my labs had I not create a mask which blocked poisons! Ungrateful ninja..._

He smiled coldly at his sensei. "Will you ignore that I had a large hand in improving Konoha, sensei? What would this village be if I hadn't dissected bodies of enemies or found out where illnesses were coming from?" Orochimaru wondered if he could get away with summoning a snake or two to swallow the test tubes. He figured he'd risk it. It was a lot easier to escape one person instead of a platoon of ANBU, even if that one person was his sensei.

Sarutobi narrowed his eyes when he sensed his ex-student use chakra. What was he up to?

Figuring that now was a better time than never, the old ninja struck out at Orochimaru. He didn't want to hurt the man he had thought of as a son, but he couldn't let him get away with just a slap on the wrist.

The Snake Sannin's eyes opened in shock when he saw the bo staff headed straight for him. He mentally ordered the snake to hurry up and jumped out of the way to avoid being injured.

It was then that he noticed the snake had half of a test tube down its throat and then the sound of shattering glass filled the room.

The ebony-haired man felt his chest throb with sharp pain and cold realization. He knew what he'd have to do. Swiftly, his hands moved and he blew out a stream of fire hot enough to melt the glass and evaporate the life liquid inside. He felt a small stab of guilt wash over him, but he buried it away and focused on getting out of his lab. His sensei couldn't find out what he had been doing. No one but himself could know. He checked the snake with a satisfied smirk when the snake nodded in affirmative at swallowing the tube.

Taking advantage at his sensei's confusion, Orochimaru bid him goodbye with a hidden heavy heart. "Goodbye sensei. Thank you for being hesitant in taking my life."

Before Sarutobi could reply, Orochimaru was off and had his snake summons take care of anyone who got in the way.

He looked back at Konoha when he thought it was safe. It was somewhat sad that the day he defected from Konoha was the very day the sun and sky decided to put on a spectrum of colors.

From the top of tree branches, he saw the rising sun slowly climbing over the Hokage Monument and watched in awe as the dark sky full of stars melted into lazy streams of gold and orange. He couldn't help but chuckle bitterly at the gods. He checked once more and when he decided it was safe, summoned the snake that swallowed the tube back.

The snake spat out the tube which landed safely in his arms before dispelling itself. Orochimaru didn't care much about the rudeness of the snake, it was nothing new.

He looked at the baby in the tube and noticed that it was the girl that looked the most like Tsunade feature-wise. He sighed at his loss of the other three but brightened up at the thought of knowing that he had postpone the end of the Senju line even if it was through unsightly solutions.

She had small wisps of golden hair and he noted with pride at the possible beauty she would turn into. As of now however, she was...cute.

He shook his head and rid himself of such silly thoughts. When he noticed a small twitch in her right hand, he smiled triumphantly. Now he just needed her to wake up from the test tube and it would be one step towards success. It was only a total success once she survived for a year without any problems.

Another few twitches and then he had exactly what he wanted and desired for almost two decades.

Small little eyes started opening and her little body twitched in response as nerves and muscles reacted to the new world.

Orochimaru jumped down from the tree and landed on the forest ground. There, he emptied the remains of the fluid meant to act as the amniotic fluid in pregnant mothers onto the floor and covered it with dirt and a few chemicals he always had on hand. Once the girl was out of the glass casing, he would seal it and head the opposite direction. He knew Inuzukas were probably searching for him along with the Aburame. The Hyuga probably were too, but he didn't care as long as they didn't see him or the baby.

He took out a scroll which held baby materials and unsealed a towel with some water.

Just to be safe, he summoned a few bunshins and had them scatter around; it wouldn't do to be interrupted.

When he opened the glass tube, he was immediately met with a loud wail. His eyes widened in shock and he quickly implemented a silencing seal while hurrying with cleaning the newborn.

He was really glad he had read those parenting books now. A diaper was unsealed followed by a pink cap and matching clothes. He remembered how he had to use a henge to buy the baby items with an amused hum. It was damn embarrassing having to be a woman but it worked well and he was proud of it (although he'd never tell a single soul about this).

When he was finished with dressing her and delivering the tests needed to be done, he sighed in relief and cradled the newborn girl.

She was the epitome of softness reincarnated, he noted with surprise. This was the first time he had held a child and he was amazed at the warmth that grew in his chest. Orochimaru realized with a small chuckle that she had already taken a place in his heart, right next to Tsunade and Jiraiya even.

He shook his head and sealed the tube before doing a small wind jutsu to rid of his and her presence. He bent his knees and held the tired bundle in his arms somewhat tighter, careful not to squeeze too tight. He wasn't Tsunade, but he was still strong.

Without a single glance he leapt up into the branches. The Snake Sannin paused and looked down, what was her name again?

He had thought hard about their names, something he decided he wanted to mean something special. He fumbled around mentally while being swift and fluid on the trees as he deemed multi-tasking necessary. His mind recalled the tree she had awakened under and remembered with a tug at the corner of his lips what he had chosen.

He stopped and looked at the sleeping girl with a rare, soft smile. "Welcome to the world, Keiko-chan."

Thank you very much for following this little story of mine, Littlevbigdreams and S.R.457, and a special thanks to you, S.R.457, for reviewing and favoriting! I'm sorry I haven't updated in some time, I should have the next one up by Friday or next Monday.

Well, that's all I've got to say for now. Thanks for reading and I hope you'll enjoy the next chapter!


	3. 2-Game Time

He wondered if this was really a smart idea. His eyes traveled to the sleeping bundle he held in his arms and up to the figure wearing a black cloak with red clouds. _Akatsuki, a group of S-ranked missing-nin who worked for money. _

Yeah if that didn't sound shady, Orochimaru mused that he'd need a wakeup call.

His gaze traveled back to where they were currently and noted the numerous tunnels they traveled through. He had pondered with something akin to parental fear when he thought if it was alright for Keiko to be exposed to caves and dirt tunnels the size of three men.

For the nth time that day, Orochimaru, Snake Sannin and traitor to Konoha, wondered if he was doing something smart by agreeing to join Akatsuki.

He didn't even know _how_ this orange-haired man with the title of Apathetic King found him. With Keiko in tow, he didn't want to come across any danger but unfortunately, it seemed that danger had an unrequited love for him (it had passed the crush stage _ages _ago).

Three missing-nin thought it was a "fantastic" idea to attack one of Konoha's Sannin due to the fact that he would be hampered with a baby.

Too bad they found out that Orochimaru could fight just as well with just one arm, two legs, and a brain that actually worked.

Then this strange man appeared out of nowhere and inquired whether he would like to join his band of mis-fits since he had defected from Konoha. The dark-haired man got the feeling that the other man really did not like Konoha.

Orochimaru agreed only if he could bring Keiko (he didn't say her name, he wasn't an idiot, that job fell to Jiraiya when needed). A few minutes of awkward silence passed before the man agreed to the condition. After that, Orochimaru shrugged and told him to lead the way.

Which led to his current predicament... He looked at Keiko again and sighed. The man in front of him took the sigh as a sign of impatience and told him, "We are almost there. I require that you remain patient, Orochimaru."

Said man nodded, not bothering to correct the misunderstanding. That said, he looked back at the man and wondered why on earth this orange-haired man was familiar? Did he kill a relative with the same shade of hair? He ruled it out on the premise that the man would probably kill him instead of leading him to a group missing-nin.

He blinked and thought about that possibility again. It was entirely possible that the man was going to try and ambush him. With the confusing tunnels, it would take him some time to find his way out without dying.

In any event, he prepared himself for a possible fight. If that were to happen, he'd need to immediately summon a snake to take Keiko away while he fought. He just hoped that it didn't come to a confrontation. The snakes weren't the friendliest summons on earth and they would be more likely to eat Keiko than help her, but there was always that sliver of hope that Jiraiya had beaten into him ever since they were children.

He frowned as he thought about the man. Jiraiya was not going to be happy with his defection. He had a feeling that the man would be more likely to hunt him down and either convince him to come back or to kill him. Orochimaru could feel a headache coming. For the nth time, he wondered why this was happening to him.

He just wanted to be happy! Was it really that tough to be happy and raise a kid that should've been raised by Tsunade?!

An answer wasn't required, he knew how tough life as a ninja was.

When he stepped into a large cavern with dim lighting, he mentally sighed. Was it too much of him to ask for a brightly lit cavern with a waterfall, grass covering the floor, and flowers blossoming too?

Maybe it was too much as the dimly lit room was barren except for the fact that eight men and a woman stood in there staring at him.

_And Jiraiya says it's creepy when _I_ stare, he obviously hasn't heard or met of these eight people, _Orochimaru thought in amusement. If the stares were supposed to be intimidating, they didn't do it well enough to intimidate him. He decided it was time to test his acting skills.

His lips curled up into a smile reminiscent of a snake. He even licked his lips like a maniac. It brought him some childish amusement when he saw a few squirm. Jiraiya must've rubbed off on him more than he thought possible.

"Please control yourself, Orochimaru," the orange-haired man with piercings practically demanded.

He chuckled in response. "Kukuku, forgive me, but when I saw so many...delectable missing-nin, I couldn't help myself."

He received a few more shudders from the group and inside he cackled like a mad man.

This was just too fun and easy.

After the orange-haired man introduced himself as Pein and the others who Orochimaru deigned insignificant did, he wondered what was next. Was there a pedestal where they would walk up, introduce themselves again and tell everyone why they were there and why they had defected?

Orochimaru mentally smiled in mirth before he controlled himself. As much as he would enjoy playing the role of prankster, he knew it was time to get serious.

As he shifted the sleeping newborn in his arms, he collected their attention. He wanted to sigh at this but held it in.

"Is that a child you got there?" a blue-skinned man asked, Hoshigaki Kisame, Orochimaru remembered. Now he wondered what to tell them. The truth was obviously not going to work here. He went with a lie.

"This child is my future vessel. Once she is of age, I will take her body as my own." Of course he wasn't really going to do that to the poor girl, that was why he had criminals that always disappeared "mysteriously".

He received a few more disgusted looks and varying looks of sympathy at the bundle. He couldn't care less what they thought of him as long as he had something to hide behind for a bit. This organization would be his cover while he pulled a few strings elsewhere. He didn't intend to stay here until he died, no, he had much better plans than staying with this group. If possible, he was going to stay for a decade more or less.

After a few hours which Orochimaru deigned useless, he was led to his room. It was a plain room with only the bare necessities, meaning that there was only a stiff looking bed, an old looking desk, a light bulb as a lighting source, and an empty bookshelf.

He sighed, a habit which he had been doing quite a lot recently. It was for a legit reason though, after all, how was he supposed to raise a child in a prison-like room? The only good thing he decided, was the fact that he had his own bathroom with a wooden tub for bathing and a modern toilet that he truly hoped flushed.

Then came the next problem, where was Keiko going to sleep? He couldn't sleep on that small bed with her; there was always the frightening possibility of suffocating her to death by accident. Usually he wouldn't mind sleeping on the floor, he was a ninja after all, but he really didn't think that dirt floors were very hygienic, something bad especially once he took in the fact that he'd be carrying the sleeping bundle. It was a shame he didn't have a sleeping bag, that would've been useful.

As for the bookshelf, he sure as heck wasn't going to put anything of value on there. Maybe child development books and small toys for Keiko but nothing else.

That also led to the problem of privacy. Orochimaru was a man who respected personal space and expected others to do the same. Here, however, he got the faint impression that anyone could literally walk in at any time they wanted to. Definitely not good when he was planning to raise Keiko in this room and go out only when necessary or on a mission.

Which led to _another_ god-forsaken problem, who was going to watch Keiko while he went out on missions? He did not trust anyone in the organization and doubted that they would even know how to handle a newborn. _There was that woman...Konan, I believe her name was. She seemed reliable but also very close to Pein... If she found something out about Keiko or me, she would not hesitate to tell that man. _

Orochimaru looked down at the peacefully sleeping Keiko and envied her briefly before sighing and sitting down on the rough bed. He set up a few privacy seals followed by a silencing seal. He looked over at the little blonde baby tiredly. "I'm playing a very dangerous game to keep you alive, Keiko-chan."

* * *

Thank you very much for following this little story of mine, Littlevbigdreams, Flameofscorpions, HeartAuror, and S.R.457, and a special thanks to you, S.R.457, for reviewing and favoriting! I'm sorry I haven't updated in some time, I should have the next one up by Friday or next Monday.

Well, that's all I've got to say for now. Thanks for reading and I hope you'll enjoy the next chapter!


	4. 3-Art is Eternal!

Orochimaru decided that it wasn't all _that_ bad in Akatsuki. There was free food, a matching cloak, free room with a private bathroom, and he got to do whatever he really wanted to do. He didn't really get why they had to paint their nails though.

A little gurgle was heard from the bed and the black-haired man got up from his seat at the wooden desk. He sighed when she giggled at him. She had figured out that he was the one who had her food and attention. When he wasn't there, or she couldn't see him, she'd cry louder than Tsunade when she was mad at Jiraiya.

He poked her belly playfully and received a giggle from that. It was too easy to make her laugh or smile.

Her eyes were a light brown with golden flecks and her smiling lips were a light pink. A rosy dust covered her chubby cheeks and honestly, she looked adorable enough to make _Pein_ take a double much to the Sannin's delight.

Orochimaru shook his head and got rid of the smirk he had been wearing. His gaze fell on a clock he had bought and repeated the similar routine he had been following for days.

Usually, routines were bad and could be the end of a ninja's career, but that changed with the arrival of Keiko who woke up in the middle of the night and took naps in the daytime. It screwed him over the first few nights but after a few more days, he decided that those pregnancy books were gifts from the gods.

Carefully, he made some formula for her and tested the temperature on his wrist just as the books told him to do. When he deemed it safe for her to drink, he picked her up and sighed wearily when she began to be fussy.

"Now, now," he reprimanded her, "Be good Keiko-chan. You can't be fed if you're fussy."

Sometimes, he wondered if the baby could understand him at times as she slowly simmered down and became quiet for him. A satisfied smile grew on his face and he began feeding her. During these times, it was when his thoughts seemed to run wildly. With Keiko sucking on her pink bottle with flower designs, the only sound in the room was her drinking her meal and the ticking of the clock.

It was strange really; Orochimaru never thought that he would be taking care of a newborn, much less taking care of a child that was supposed to be Tsunade's and Dan's. He wondered what he would've been doing if he hadn't thought of this crazy idea almost twenty years ago. Would he be half mad and delving deeper and deeper into the dark side of human nature? Perhaps he would be dead and lying six feet under?

He wasn't sure what to make with such dark thoughts, but he couldn't see himself as a happy man living his life out to the fullest. Didn't he think about marrying the perfect woman someday?

A small scoff followed that naïve thought. He and Jiraiya had briefly fought over Tsunade when they were younger, but once they became teens, he lost interest in fighting for his teammate's affections and focused on bettering Konoha.

He stopped his train of thought when he heard a small whimper. He winced and whispered a small apology for shoving the bottle in her mouth a bit too much. _That probably wasn't very comfortable..._

With a small sigh, he looked around his room once more. It was plain and yet it was full of his scrolls lying on the ground without a care. It didn't bother him though, his room was sealed with enough silencing and privacy seals to make Jiraiya dizzy. If anyone came into his room uninvited, they would get a nasty shock when they tried to open the door.

Keiko let out a brief sigh, signaling him that she was full and happy. The Snake Sannin set her bottle beside him and brought her up to his shoulder, making sure to support her neck. He patted her back, listening for a burp. His nose detected her soft scent and he wondered why she smelt so sweet and warm. She had a specific scent just like any other person, but for him, it was different. It was as though he could specify which scent would be hers and which wasn't.

When she burped, he nodded in satisfaction until he noticed that his shoulder was also wet. He paled slightly and sighed wearily. She had added an extra "gift" for him.

"Keiko-chan..." She responded with a tired giggle. He got the message and set her down on the makeshift crib he created with pools of blankets. It was decided that he'd buy her a crib when he was alone; it was too risky to buy it if he was with his partner. He turned to his new stain and hurried to wash it out. The small blonde cried out and whimpered like a lost puppy when he disappeared briefly and he leaned out of the bathroom doorway to show her he was still there. A damp towel was currently being applied to his off-white shirt and he looked over with a curious look, almost as if he was asking her if she was happy now that she had seen him.

A few hours of silence passed where he spent looking at his scrolls, trying to decide where to go after this. He had a few labs hidden away in each country where he could live and hide in. No one, not even Jiraiya knew where they were all located, something he was proud of. His old friend was exceptionally good when it came to finding him whenever he wanted to have a reunion.

He turned his head before he heard a knock on his door. Meeting time.

A clone was made to watch over Keiko and keep thinking about what to do while he left his room with the signature Akatsuki robe. Opening the door, he found the hunched over figure of his partner, Sasori of the Red Sand. The man was impatient and spoke little about his puppets. It mattered little though, Orochimaru already heard what the man was talented for.

"Where shall we be heading today, Sasori?" He didn't bother with a suffix; people rarely added a suffix of any sort in Akatsuki.

"The Tsuchikage has paid for us to dispose of missing-nin for him," was the blunt reply he got. Sometimes, Orochimaru wondered if he should give the title of Apathetic King to Sasori, the man probably was a puppet anyway.

"How many?"

"Five."

"Does he need their heads?"

"Yes."

"Time?"

"A week."

The older man mentally sighed in exasperation. Konoha would be so proud of his "teamwork" and "bonding". Sasori had been a man of few words and no heart. Orochimaru wasn't even sure if the man had blood flowing through him. He wasn't exactly sure he wanted to know _how_ there'd be no blood anyways.

His thoughts briefly fell on Keiko and he wondered if his clone could last that long. He had a few sealed up just in case, but he'd rather not use them unless necessary.

As he stepped out into the bright sunlight, he mused silently as the feeling of parental separation appeared, that Keiko would enjoy looking at the differently colored leaves in autumn. The bright oranges and reds contrasting with the blue sky and the cold, nipping wind, signaling winter's approach, it truly was like poetry. He could imagine her small hands trying to grasp for the bright leaves and putting them in her mouth much to his ire.

"It is like a piece of art, isn't it?" he mused aloud as he and Sasori began on their trek. His mind froze and he quickly berated himself when he saw his partner become...passionate.

"Art is forever. It will last for all eternity." _Oh dear kami-sama_, Orochimaru sighed and tuned out his partner's long, _long,_ lecture about the beauty of eternal art. He wondered briefly if this was karma's way of getting back at him. It wouldn't surprise him or anything though, karma and the gods seemed to like screwing him over in life.

"I thought art was a blast?" Orochimaru commented offhandedly, not really noticing the shocked silence Sasori went into. "I went to an art exhibit once and it was a blast. The people were generous and the art was good."

The Sannin paused when he noticed his partner had fallen behind. "Sasori?"

The man in question seemed to be chanting something along the lines of, "Art is eternal," and the black-haired man wondered if he'd broken the other man. Suddenly, Sasori's head shot up, his eyes narrowed, "Fine art is eternal, everlasting! It will never be a blast."

Orochimaru could feel his shoulders droop as the man ranted about how eternal art was better than a blast of art. His mind wondered how Keiko-chan was and he truly wondered if he was doing the right thing. She really should've been with Tsunade and her apprentice, Shizune, not with him.

He hoped the mission wouldn't last too long, he didn't want to listen to the art lecture anymore.

Hello!

I would like to thank you all for reading this! As a thank you, I suppose I'll update with a much longer chapter next time!

S.R.457: So, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "the good parts", do you mean large time skips or skipping to things that show up in the show? Hmm, I was actually thinking about having him stay in the back since that seemed more like his thing, but I'll think about that possibility.

I wish I knew who you were too Guest, but I'll just say thanks? Haha, I hope it's not too horribly morbid though, there shouldn't be too much after these first few…hopefully. If there are, I'll change the rating.

Ahem, I suppose this is also where I apologize for Sasori fans. *bows* I'm very sorry for making him so OOC, but this chapter needed something silly and this was the best I could think of...

Anyway! It seems that I'll be doing lots of chapters about the members of Akatsuki and their interactions with Orochimaru and Keiko, so look forward to that!

Well, thank you and I hope you're having a great day! Happy reading to all of you!

See ya!


	5. 4-Cooking with Konan

The kitchen area clunked and clanked as Orochimaru struggled to find the perfect pan the recipe called for. Keiko was ready for different food substances other than her formula milk and he wanted to try making some baby food for her.

Only thing was, the man had never cooked a meal before and this was his first time in a kitchen (instant ramen didn't count). Luckily, they had just moved from the cave hideout to...another cave-but!-this one actually had windows and was in a forest. It was the middle of winter, but that didn't take away the beauty of the land.

The snowflakes perched on tree branches and contrasted against the evergreen needles and the pinecones. There were even icicles that were long enough to tower over Keiko-chan, something that unnecessarily worried him. She wouldn't be going outside this winter.

Or the next one.

And definitely not the next one after that either.

"Are you looking for something?" a feminine voice asked. He didn't bother looking up, there was only one woman in Akatsuki.

"As a matter-of-fact, I am," he replied as he continued digging through the absurdly large stack of pots and pans. None of the members cooked much so it made almost no sense as to why there were so many.

"What are you looking for?" Konan asked more specifically, taking a step inside the cluttered kitchen. Orochimaru waved a hand at the book, barely paying attention.

Her golden eyes widened. The killer in front of her was trying to make baby food for a child he would use as a vessel in the future?! Her instincts were whispering that something wasn't quite right here.

"Do you know where all of that is or if not, do leave me, I have much to do." He heard her huff in indignation and listened as her footsteps went around the room, coming back with an armful of utensils.

"Move," she demanded. The Snake Sannin hastily moved, knowing full well of what women could do when angered. An image Tsunade in a rage quickly made itself known and he almost shivered at the memory. Jiraiya had gone to the hospital that day and he thanked the gods that she was rarely mad at him.

The woman dug through the pile and immediately pulled out the correct pan, something Orochimaru couldn't help but gawk at.

"Give me the book, I'll make the baby food," she demanded with a calm stare. He shrugged and handed it over, but instead of walking away, he watched from some distance as she deftly chopped, minced, puréed, and combined the ingredients together. His eyes were narrowed, could he someday cook like that for Keiko-chan? They had only survived this far due to the good grace of Konan and his trips where he bought easy to make things (instant ramen and already made meals mainly).

When she set the finished product on the counter, Orochimaru looked in wonder at the blue-haired woman. A quick glance at the cook book and his eyes widened as he noted that they looked the exact same. _H-how on earth did she do this?!_

Konan, for the most part, seemed quite smug at her culinary skills. Her usual, melancholic face was radiating pride, her lips almost up in a smile. "I have cooked for my entire life, Orochimaru. I have experience."

He fought to roll his eyes. Why was it that all women liked to point out his weak points with obvious reasons? He also had a sneaking suspicion that she would be asking him a-

"So would you like to tell me why you're making baby food for a 'vessel', Orochimaru?"

-question. _Damn. _He weighted his options, lie to her or tell the truth. Now, if he actually trusted the woman, he would have gladly told her. Shame he didn't. There were only two people he trusted and she was not one of them.

"It is none of your-"

"As a matter of fact, it is," Konan interrupted him. Her eyes narrowed and she moved the baby food further away from Orochimaru's grasp. "Pein may not care about what you do in your free time, but I do. If you are planning something that could bring Akatsuki to its knees, I will not hesitate to kill you and that child if I must."

The Snake Sannin's eyes also narrowed at her words. He could feel his blood starting to boil with fury. All he wanted, was to raise his little girl up in a good environment.

Yes, that's right, _his _little girl. _He_ was the one who snuck into the tent where Konoha kept her dead shinobi. _He _was the one who got Dan and Tsunade's DNA. _He_ was the one who created her, who gave his gambling teammate a chance to have her own child.

No one could change the fact that _he_ was going to raise the little blonde to be the strongest kunoichi in the world. No one would be able to separate him from Keiko, not his sensei, not his teammates, and definitely not this woman.

"She is my vessel, Konan, I will do what I want with what I own. I refuse to let my future vessel be weak. The food is merely a step for success," Orochimaru replied in a low, soft, dangerous tone. Everyone, even Jiraiya, knew better than to cross him when he used this tone, it seemed that Konan did too.

The blue-haired woman stared quietly at him before pushing the bowl towards him before softly replying, "I do not trust you, Orochimaru, but I trust that your parental instincts will win over your greed and hunger for power. I will keep an eye on the child, for I know what it is like to be alone with only those stronger than you for company. We may have blood on our hands, but even we can still be gentle with what we care." With that statement, the only woman in the dark organization left the kitchen, leaving Orochimaru to ponder silently about her words.

He wasn't sure what to make of her words though. He had assumed that she was cold-hearted like Pein, a puppeteer hiding behind the shadows, pulling strings to make her puppets dance. Not once did he realize that she wasn't as bad as she seemed, not until that confrontation.

With a small shake of his head at the new knowledge he gained, he brought the food into his room. Perhaps, someday, he would be able to trust Konan with Keiko, but for now, such an option was still shaky and unsure. He wouldn't know if she would tell Pein about something he wanted quiet.

His clone popped out of existence and he ruffled the girl's golden whisps of hair. She looked up at him and giggled, clapping two blocks together in a fast rhythm, trying to showcase her happiness at his presence.

He felt his chest warm up and felt his lips tug up, forming into a soft smile of adoration. Her rosy, chubby cheeks lifted up as she mimicked his smile. "Come on, Keiko-chan, it's time to eat. Konan prepared this for you, but I'll see if I can make it next time."

The baby gurgled and clapped her toys blocks together in excitement, wondering what her guardian brought her and what it would taste like. Those wooden toy blocks were the primary colors with pictures of the shinobi nations. He figured it was better to get a head start on her education about the world she would be entering.

The cruel fact that he knew she wouldn't be able to fit into civilian life was a fact he had accepted when he had conflicted feelings about the mini versions. She wouldn't be able to fit in because of her mother's enhanced strength and her father's natural ability to transfer chakra at will. He wasn't completely sure she would develop these traits, but there was a very high possibility she would. There was also the fact that she had Senju blood within her too. He didn't think she had mokuton, but it was likely that she had the gene for it.

Orochimaru set the bowl on his desk and lifted Keiko off the green rug on the floor, setting her on his lap as he sat in his desk chair. It was an uncomfortable chair, but he'd survive.

He lifted up a baby spoon with a pink rabbit as a handle. Scooping up a little of the baby food, he lifted it up to her mouth. A chuckle almost slipped out from him as he noticed her furrowed brows. It seemed as though she were contemplating whether or not to eat it. "It's okay, I watched Konan prepare it, she had no time to slip anything into it." He sighed as she continued to look at the spoon, it seemed he would have to coerce her.

"You know, everything in this is very good for you, Keiko-chan. It's freshly bought from a village and Konan was the one to make it." The black-haired man had always preferred facts over fluff. "There are plenty of vitamins in this and there's nothing hard to chew," he told her as he brought the spoon to his mouth. It wouldn't hurt if he ate it right? How bad could it be anyways?

The answer- very bad.

He coughed as the smooth, bland..._thing_ slid down his throat. _How could this have been the end result?! _He wondered in shock. The color was similar, Konan added everything in that the recipe called for, and yet it tasted nothing like how it looked.

His brows furrowed and he set the spoon down with a sigh. "I suppose I'll have to continue feeding you your formula until I figure out how to make some food for you, Keiko-chan."

He massaged the bridge of his nose, trying to fight the frustration growing within him. Then he heard te most curious sound. A happy little "Ah!" from the little girl on his lap. His dark eyes looked down in curiosity and found the girl had the pink spoon in her chubby fist with baby food smeared on her cheeks.

He was speechless.

His eyes widened in worry. "Hold on! You're not supposed to eat that, Keiko-chan!" He swiped away the bowl, only to flinch when he was met with large, brown eyes overflowing with tears. "Okay, okay, I get it. I'll put it back alright?"

As soon as he set the bowl down, the blonde girl dug in with gusto. Orochimaru could only shake his head in confusion. How could anyone like _that? _It just made no sense!

_Perhaps it is merely preferences? _He wondered silently as his logical mind raced to find an answer. _I have lived for about 4 decades now while she's been alive for less than half, perhaps I'm just more used to flavoring?_

He made a mental note to do an experiment on it and check his hypothesis later. With a sigh, he patted the little girl's head and leaned over her in amusement. She still smelt sweet, almost like caramel or that one snack he saw at a festival, it was pink and baby blue, completely made of sugar to his surprise!

"I suppose once you're old enough, I'll take you on an adventure with me. I think it'd be good for you to "broaden your horizons" as sensei would say." The girl giggled, almost as though she were agreeing with him. He took it that way at least. With a chuckle, he leaned back into his uncomfortable chair and sighed in content.

Despite being a traitor to his home village, life was pretty good.

* * *

Aww, Orochimaru is so sweet with Keiko-chan! Haha, anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Somehow, I kind of enjoyed writing Konan, something that really confuses me... Meh, oh well!

So I hope you all enjoyed this long chapter along with Orochimaru's first encounter with baby food! From my experience, baby food is very bland and slimy; something I thought would be amusing to see how our beloved Snake Sannin would act when he tried it.

I also apologize for the long wait as well. I tend to have periods of time where I don't have my writing muse and then times where it just suddenly pops up.

I hope you've all had a great year!

Well, thanks for reading this! Hope you'll have a great day! I'm so happy that this got reviews, favorites, and follows! Thank you so much!

Thank you very much and I'll see you all later!


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